Sewer rod attachment for drill



y 9, 1967 G. M. PRIMM 3,317,943

SEWER ROD ATTACHMENT FOR DRILL Filed Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEORGE M4 PRIMM BY ATTORNEYS y 1967 G. M. PRIMM SEWER ROD ATTACHMENT FOR DRILL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1965 INVENTOR GEORGE M. PRIMM KW ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1967 3,317,943 SEWER ROD ATTACHMENT FOR DRILL George M. Primm, 4736 Forest Ave., Downers Grove, Ill. 60515 Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,429 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-1043) This invention or discovery relates to a sewer rod attachment for a drill, and more particularly to an attachment for driving a sewer rod which may be adjustably connected to the attachment, and the attachment in turn can be connected to a conventional hand held electric drill which would provide the driving power for actuation of the sewer rod, the invention being highly desirable for use by home owners, in the plumbing and building maintenance fields, and for other purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In substantially all but extreme conditions, the instant invention will eliminate the need for an expensive sewer rodding machine having its own drive motor, when conditions indicate that it is necessary to remove obstructions from sewer pipes, drain pipes, and the like.

An important object of the instant invention is the provision of a simple form of light weight hand held attachment, readily connectable to a conventional electric drill, and operable to actuate a sewer rod or the like.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of a sewer rodding attachment connecta-ble to a conventional electric drill, and embodying a reversible transmission whereby the electric drill may be operated in one direction only while the sewer rod may be operated selectively in forward or reverse directions.

A further desideratum of this invention is the provision of a sewer rod driving device so arranged as to eliminate kinking of the sewer rod which heretofore was a very common occurrence when the rod encountered a hardobstruction in a pipe.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a driving attachment for sewer rods and the like embodying frictional driving elements, whereby slippage of the driving members may occur in the event the sewer rod encounters a hard obstruction, thus eliminating kinking of the sewer rod.

Still another feature of this invention is the provision of a sewer rod driving attachment embodying frictional driving means, and with provision for selectively varying the pressure between driving and driven elements to take up wear and also permit slipping in the event the sewer rod encounters a hard obstruction.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of a simply operated, easily held driving attachment for a sewer rod, the driving shaft of which may be connected to the chuck of a conventional electric drill in the same manner a drill bit would be connected thereto.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics, and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, Others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a sewer rod attachment embodying principles of the instant invention showing the same connected in operative relationship with a conventional electric drill;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view through the casing of the attachment, with parts shown in elevation and in position for reverse driving of a sewer rod; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the same character as FIGURE 2 but illustrating the parts in position to drive the sewer rod forwardly.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of the instant invention embodies a casing 1 which may be conveniently a twopart casing cast or molded of any suitable light weight material such as a light weight metal or a plastic material of sufficient strength. The casing is preferably molded to provide an opening 2 therein to function as a handle for the casing, the interior of the opening being shaped to accommodate the fingers of a user as indicated at 3 if so desired. The casing is provided with a fabricated neck 4 projecting therefrom through which the main drive rod 5 for the transmission mechanism within the casing projects in position to be easily engaged within the chuck 6 of a conventional electric drill 7 as seen in FIGURE 1. A sewer rod 8 projects entirely through the casing, inside a drive sleeve 9, FIGURE 3, which is headed at the upper end as at 10, and headed at the lower end as at 11, the lower head being equipped with a wing bolt 12 to secure the rod to the drive sleeve for rotation therewith at any desired position of adjustment of the rod. Such arrangement makes it extremely simple to connect the sewer rod attachment to the electric drill, and then hold the attachment with one hand while holding the drill in the other hand during the rodding of a sewer, drain pipe, or the like.

As seen more clearly in FIGURE 2, the drive shaft 5 of the attachment is provided near its upper or outer end with a pair of spaced annular grooves 13 and 14, the shaft being reciprocable relatively to the casing 1 to selectively cause engagement with either groove by a ball 15 spring biased inwardly as indicated at 16. This selective engagement may be made by merely pulling or pushing upon the drill 7 while holding the casing 1 stationary. As will later appear, the mere changing from one groove to another in engagement with the ball 15 changes the direction of drive of the sewer rod 8.

Inside the fabricated neck 4 is an elongated bearing 17 for the shaft anchored to a bearing retainer 1 8 near its outer end, which bearing retainer is preferably square or rectangular in shape so as to prevent rotation thereof with the shaft 5, and this bearing retainer is seated in a complementally shaped socket 19 in the neck 4 which socket is laterally longer than the bearing retainer. The inner end of this hearing is also anchored in a retainer 20 similar in character to the retainer 18, also seated in a socket 21 that is laterally longer than the retainer itself. The passage 22 through the neck 4 and adjacent part of the casing 1 is larger in diameter than the bearing 17, so that this bearing may shift laterally along with the retainers 18 and 20. The inner end of the shaft is journalled within a bearing 23 anchored in a retainer 24 of the same character as above described, disposed in a socket 25 also laterally longer than the retainer. With this arrangement, the entire drive shaft may be shifted laterally to take up for wear, or provide a desired amount of pressure between the friction driving and driven transmission elements, as will later appear.-

The drive shaft is provided with a friction drive wheel carried by a bearing sleeve 27 floating on the shaft 5,

the wheel 26 when engaged with the shaft driving the' sewer rod 8 in the forward direction. Spaced from the drive wheel 26 is another similar and similarly mounted drive wheel 28 for driving the sewer rod in a reverse direction. Each of these driving wheels is provided with an internal groove to accommodate a key 29 fixed to the drive shaft. As the shaft is positioned in FIGURE 3,

with the groove 13 engaged with the ball 15, the key 2 9 is drivingly engaged with the forward drive wheel 26; and as seen in FIGURE 2, the shaft has been pulled outwardly until the groove 14 is engaged by the ball 15, and the key 29 has been withdrawn from engagement with the forward drive wheel 26 and is in engagement with the reverse drive wheel 28. The non-engaged drive wheel does not need to rotate with the shaft. In the illustrated instance, all driving and driven members are conventional friction wheels and these wheels are of truncated conical shape where engagement is established between shafts disposed at an angle to each other.

The drive wheel 26 is associated with a larger driven wheel 30 keyed to an intermediate shaft 31 journalled in suitable bearings carried in retainers 32, 33 and 34, each of which is seated in a laterally longer socket in the casing, as above described. The intermediate shaft 31 also carries a cylindrical drive wheel 35 in contact with a larger driven wheel 36 keyed only to the sleeve 9 through which the sewer rod extends. The variances in size of the respective driving and driven wheels are to affect a suitable speed reduction between the drive shaft and the sewer rod 8, a speed reduction of nine to one being satisfactory for most electric drills. Any suitable bearing means may be provided between the sleeve 9 and the casing, it being preferred that the sleeve 9 be fixed against lateral movement along with the other shafts and bearing retainers.

The reverse drive wheel 28 engages an intermediate wheel 38 on a short shaft 39 journalled in bearings carried by laterally slidable bearing blocks 40 and 41, the wheels 28 and 38 being of the same size so no speed reduction is effected therebetween. The driven wheel 38 engages a larger wheel 42 on the aforesaid shaft 31, the wheels 42 and 30 being of the same size.

in order to vary pressure between the driving and driven wheels to a desired extent a yoke member 43 having inwardly extending spaced pairs of fingers 44 and 45 for maintaining the drive wheels 26 and 28 in proper position on the shaft, is provided within the casing. This yoke member has pressure fingers 46 and 47 at the ends thereof in contact with bearing retainers 24 and 20 respectively. For adjusting the yoke member, a hand operated screw 48 extends through the wall of the casing 1 and has its inner end engaged with the yoke member as indicated at 49.

In operation, the instant invention is extremely simple and effective. It is simply necessary to connect the drive shaft 5 of the attachment with the chuck 6 of the electric drill 7. Then the drive shaft, if necesary, may be pushed into the position seen in FIGURE 3 so that it is connected to drive the wheel 26 whereupon the sewer rod 8 will be rotated in the same direction as the drive shaft. The screw 48 is adjusted, if necesary, to provide a desired amount of pressure between the driving and driven wheels. This pressure should be sufficient to establish a positive drive of the sewer rod, but insufficient to overcome slippage between the friction wheels in the event the sewer rod should strike a hard obstruction in a pipe line. Slippage between the friction wheels will then prevent kinking of the sewer rod. Should excess wear ultimately occur between the friction wheels, the screw 48 may be adjusted to move the yoke inwardly, and move one or more of the shafts 5, 31 and 39 laterally until the friction wheels are properly in contact with each other and compensation is thus readily made for such wear.

In use, the attachment is held by the handle arrangement 3 in one hand, and the drill is held in the other hand, the rod extended a desired distance in front of the attachment, the leading end of the rod entered into a pipeline to be rodded, and the electric drill energized. From time to time depending upon the extent necessary, the wing screw 12 may be loosened, the extension of the rod increased, and then the wing screw again tightened. Should it become desirable to reverse the direction of rotation of the sewer rod in order to ease its removal from the pipeline, it is a simple expedient to pull on the drill and move the drive shaft 5 outwardly to the position of FIGURE 2, when the key 29 on the drive shaft will be operatively engaged with the reverse drive wheel 28. By virtue of the inter-positioning of the wheel 38,

the sewer rod will be rotated in a direction reversed to that of the drive shaft.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill that is simple in construction, highly durable, easy to operate, Which eliminates kinking of the sewer rod, and which may be adjusted to take up for wear on the driving and driven parts.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve, and

a reversible transmission in said casing between said drive shaft and said drive sleeve.

2. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve, and

a reversible transmission in said casing 'between said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

said transmission including friction drive means between the drive shaft and the drive sleeve whereby the sewer rod will not kink upon encountering a hard obstruction.

3. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve,

a transmission in said casing to drivingly interconnect said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

said transmission including friction drive elements, and

pressure applying means in said casing adjustable to apply a desired pressure between the friction elements of the transmission to allow slippage under excess load conditions and compensate for wear.

4. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve,

a transmission in said casing drivingly interconnecting said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

said transmission including a second shaft in said casing and contacting friction drive and driven members on said drive and second shafts,

said shafts being supported for bodily lateral movement, and

pressure means adjustable to bodily move one of said shafts and regulate the pressure contact between said friction members.

5. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve,

a transmission drivingly interconnecting said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

friction drive and driven members in said transmission,

certain of which are carried by said drive shaft,

non-rotary bearing retainers supporting said drive shaft,

said casing having sockets therein for said bearing retainers which are slightly longer than said retainers, and

adjustable means to bodily move said retainers in said sockets to selectively vary the pressure between said friction members.

6. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve,

a transmission drivingly interconnecting said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

friction drive and driven members in said transmission,

certain of which are carried by said drive shaft,

non-rotary bearing retainers supporting said drive shaft,

said casing having sockets therein for said bearing retainers which are slightly longer than said retainers,

a yoke member in said casing having arms contacting said bearing retainers, and

manually adjustable means projecting outside said casing to move said yoke member and said retainers to selectively vary the contact pressure between said friction members.

7. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve,

a reversible transmission in said casing between said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

said transmission including friction driving and driven wheels including forward and reverse drive wheels spaced apart and floating on said drive shaft,

said drive shaft being reciprocable, and

a key on said drive shaft engageable with either of said forward and reverse drive wheels selectively to determine the direction of rotation of said drive sleeve.

8. In a sewer rod attachment for an electric drill,

a casing,

a drive shaft in said casing and projecting thereout for engagement in the chuck of a drill,

a drive sleeve for a sewer rod extending through said casing,

means to secure a sewer rod in a desired position of adjustment in said drive sleeve,

a reversible transmission in said casing between said drive shaft and said drive sleeve,

said transmission including friction driving and driven wheels including forward and reverse drive wheels spaced apart and floating on said drive shaft,

means to selectively connect said shaft to drive either of said forward and reverse drive wheels,

said drive shaft being mounted for bodily lateral movement,

a member positioned to move said drive shaft laterally,

an actuating element to move said member and said shaft and adjust contact pressure between the friction wheels of said transmission, and

fingers on said member to prevent movement of said forward and reverse drive wheels along said shaft out of driving position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,033,670 3/1936 Auer 15-1043 2,468,490 4/1949 Joseph 15104.3 2,617,135 11/1952 Larsen 15l04.3

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. E. L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SEWER ROD ATTACHMENT FOR AN ELECTRIC DRILL, A CASING, A DRIVE SHAFT IN SAID CASING AND PROJECTING THEREOUT FOR ENGAGEMENT IN THE CHUCK OF A DRILL, A DRIVE SLEEVE FOR A SEWER ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CASING, MEANS TO SECURE A SEWER ROD IN A DESIRED POSITION OF ADJUSTMENT IN SAID DRIVE SLEEVE, AND A REVERSIBLE TRANSMISSION IN SAID CASING BETWEEN SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND SAID DRIVE SLEEVE. 